IF you're interested in football..

...and I realise that's probably a minority here...there's a great programme on BBC1 tonight at 11.05pm.

The Fall and Rise of Swansea City is an insight into how 10 years ago we were 90 mins from dropping into non-League obscurity and how the club has been turned around into the 'greatest team of football the world has ever seen' (singing that song in my head).

Genuinely interesting to see how a football club should be run. Up The Jacks!

every season starts with optimism. A hope that, this year, we'll win something. I'm sure other fans have the same feelings and hope.
Every year, by the time cycling's spring classics are on us, arsenal are oncd again without a trophy.

Dd, i know what you mean about reading, i liked them (i remember brian mcd as an arsenal player).

My second and third clubs are lcfc.....destined to disappoint.....and burton albion, a lovely friendly club just up the road.

every season starts with optimism. A hope that, this year, we'll win something. I'm sure other fans have the same feelings and hope.
Every year, by the time cycling's spring classics are on us, arsenal are oncd again without a trophy.

Dd, i know what you mean about reading, i liked them (i remember brian mcd as an arsenal player).

My second and third clubs are lcfc.....destined to disappoint.....and burton albion, a lovely friendly club just up the road.

as a Reading fan - interested by what makes you think we 'sold out'? Is it the change in ownership / investment from Zingarevich? Because the actual running of the club, not spending zillions, trying to cover costs, no massive wage bills, etc. is actually pretty similar.

Of course - the Coppell years and the 106pt season were unsurpassable; the McD years were pretty good; Adkins has a heck of a load to follow. And I'm a little disappointed with signings so far, but as up there - every new season is a new hope. To be extinguished by 1650 on saturday.

(* that said - we lost the first game of the 106pt season. And then again in March)

as a Reading fan - interested by what makes you think we 'sold out'? Is it the change in ownership / investment from Zingarevich? Because the actual running of the club, not spending zillions, trying to cover costs, no massive wage bills, etc. is actually pretty similar.

Fair point. I guess I just preferred it the older way. I understand that the club is still run frugally, but there doesn't appear to be the same spirit as the 106pt season, and that first season in the PL. But y'know, who am I to say anything? They're not my team...they were only my second side as unused to go watch them a fair bit in those two seasons with a good mate. I still always look for their result and wish them well.

Anyway, the doc. I enjoyed it. A little short on facts and long on sentimentality but a good watch nonetheless.

Enjoyed that. Been on the North bank at the Vetch a few times with a friend of mine Richard Lillicrap, who helped get the supporters trust going around the time of Petty. Will be looking out for them in the PL since my team QPR got relegated.

Richard was a mountain biker, we used to ride around the Surrey hills, Afan, CYB and Elan valley.

Didn't mean it as a criticism. I'm genuinely interested because I know what you mean. Its an odd thing supporting a team for a long time through thick and thin, the fans 'invest' far more than the majority of players. We can't move to another club to further our ambitions of playing champions league football, for example.

I still remember back to the mid nineties side. Shaka Hislop in goal, simon Osborne, Darius wdowczyc, Archie Lovell, a missed penalty to be 3-0 up in the play off final - and how desolate the next season was. Understandably when the dust settled and we didn't go up players moved on and were replaced by new ones. And I stood there the next season and thought 'who the **** are you? You don't know what it's like. You didn't lose it all with 2 minutes to play after 9 months of following the team rain or shine.' And the next few seasons were hard, slipping back to mediocrity. That's when you lose faith, when you've been close, or even actually touched the heights only to then be pulled back down into the pit. You don't miss what you've never had..... Isn't that the truth.

Until the start of the next season, when it's all going to be different. And then at quarter to five, you realise it isn't and you've got another season of mediocrity and obscurity to look forward to.